Would You Buy A Mercedes Built In China? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MTI · #1 11-11-2011, 11:34 AM

Having bought a Mercedes in the last year, I'm on a list to take a customer survey commissioned by MBUSA. Today's survey, in addition to the usual consumer profile questions had an interesting section, about buying a Mercedes built outside of Germany or the US.

The geographic areas listed were India, China, Korea, Japan, Mexico and Brazil. Currently Mercedes does have production facilities in all those countries, except Japan, and in many others not mentioned in the survey.

I suppose they're measuring consumer response to country of origin and I anticipate they're going to get a fair amount of negative response.

The Clk Man · #2 11-11-2011, 11:45 AM

I would if they kept up the quality standards set by MB.

Pavka007 · #3 11-11-2011, 12:27 PM

They build cars in Egypt, South Africa etc and the quality is in par with Germany. Regarding China...I don't know for sure

oldsinner111 · #4 11-11-2011, 12:29 PM

Hell No

LandYaghtLover · #5 11-11-2011, 12:35 PM

I would. Many items made in China are of superior quality of that made in the US. But that is relative to the standards set. If a US company wants a cheap product, it can be done in China for cheap. If that same company wants to REALLY make it cheap, it can set a low quality standard. But like any other company, a high standard can be set for a high quality product.

Apple comes to mind. As well as numerous other companies.

spdrun · #6 11-11-2011, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LandYaghtLover

Apple comes to mind. As well as numerous other companies.

Apple has cool hardware. Their quality is actually somewhat mediocre. Witness overheating MacBooks, burning MagSafe plugs, the crappy connector that they use for the iDevices, periodic case cracking issues, etc.

aklim · #7 11-11-2011, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LandYaghtLover

I would. Many items made in China are of superior quality of that made in the US. But that is relative to the standards set. If a US company wants a cheap product, it can be done in China for cheap. If that same company wants to REALLY make it cheap, it can set a low quality standard. But like any other company, a high standard can be set for a high quality product.

Apple comes to mind. As well as numerous other companies.

I agree. It will have to depend on the QC department. If they are shoddy and instruct the Chinese to build it cheap, it will suck. If they have the same rigorous QC standards that they used, it will be as good.

LandYaghtLover · #8 11-11-2011, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

Apple has cool hardware. Their quality is actually somewhat mediocre. Witness overheating MacBooks, burning MagSafe plugs, the crappy connector that they use for the iDevices, periodic case cracking issues, etc.

Most of those are design faults, not manufacturing. The only manufacturing faults I can think of were the discoloring cases of the original MacBook and a couple batter issues.

And those issues affected a very small number of devices. Well below the "acceptable" threshold.

MTI · #9 11-11-2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

Apple has cool hardware. Their quality is actually somewhat mediocre. Witness overheating MacBooks, burning MagSafe plugs, the crappy connector that they use for the iDevices, periodic case cracking issues, etc.

There are probably some W202, W210 and ML owners than can relate.

aklim · #10 11-11-2011, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

Apple has cool hardware. Their quality is actually somewhat mediocre. Witness overheating MacBooks, burning MagSafe plugs, the crappy connector that they use for the iDevices, periodic case cracking issues, etc.

But is that because it was built in China or is it because Apple told the Chinese to do it that way? If you told me to build you something out of the radioactive sludge and using the cheapest methods possible, whose fault is it if the product is not good? If you turn a blind eye to the raw materials going in and they are arsenic contaminated but still used in production, whose fault is that?

Bottom line is this. Are the Chinese incapable (for whatever reason) of building a quality product or is it your people that are telling them to build an inferior product and then blaming them for it? Did you do your due diligence or did you turn a blind eye to the process because you wanted to make a buck more?

francotirador · #11 11-11-2011, 12:52 PM

I would have absolutely no interest in a Mercedes built in China. I don't even use parts made in China for my Mercedes.

ah-kay · #12 11-11-2011, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LandYaghtLover

Most of those are design faults, not manufacturing. The only manufacturing faults I can think of were the discoloring cases of the original MacBook and a couple batter issues.

And those issues affected a very small number of devices. Well below the "acceptable" threshold.

x2.

Look around your household and see how many items you have are made in China that you are happy with.

Quality issue is designed in. Where it is made does not matter. There are recalls from Detroit big 3, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan just to name a few. Wake up and open your eyes and stop bashing. Time for bashing is long gone. It is time to do catching up.

aklim · #13 11-11-2011, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francotirador

I don't even use parts made in China for my Mercedes.

Are you sure that there is 0% of the MB parts in your car are made in China? Even back in the 80s, I bought a TI 54 calculator that proudly said "MADE IN USA" but the parts inside were made all over asia.